Door-check.



110,795,995. PATENTBDAUG. 1', 1905.

' T C MARTIN DOOR CHECK. l APPLIOATI'QN FILED nov.2,19o4. l

l UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed November 2, 1904. Serial No. 231,049.

To all whom it may concern' Be it knownthat I, THOMAS CHARLES MAR- TIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in YDoor-Checks, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple door-check which will prevent the noise due to the slamming of doors.

The door-check consists of a ball-race and a soft check-'ball freely movable therein,said race being adapted for connection with the door close to the free edge thereof in an inclined position, whereby7 the contained ball will, under the inliuence of gravity, run down said raceway and will project therefromfar enough to strike the door-jamb as the door closes, said raceway being provided at its lower front end with means which prevents the ball from running out.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved door-check in what I believe to be its best form. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device when attached to the door, the door and door-jarnb being shown in horizontal section. Fig 3 is aI front elevation of the device and the adjacent parts of the door and the door-jamb.

Referring to the parts by letters,`A represents the ball-raceway. In its best construction, as shown, it is a short cylinder whose internal diameter is a trifle larger than the diame-l ter of the vulcanized-rubber'ball B, which it contains. The front end of the cylinder is bent inwardly enough to prevent the ball from escaping from that end, but not enough to preventa suliciently large part of the ball to project from said cylinder. The cylinder may be as long as desired; but it is only necessary to have it long enough to permit the ball to move substantially as described. It is preferable and, if the cylinder is short, it is necessary that the rear end ofthe cylinder be also closed wholly or partly, so as to prevent the ball being withdrawn therefrom. As shown, the rear end of the cylinder is bent inward. One of the ends of the cylinder may be bent inward after the ball. is inserted, or else one contracted end should be large enough to permit the rubber ball to be forced in; but both ends must be small enough to prevent the ball frombeing withdrawn without being compressed. This ball-raceway is to be secured to the inner side of the door C close to its free edge and in a position where it will not touch the door-jamb, but so that the ball projecting from said raceway will strike the jamb J when the door is closing. This raceway is secured to the door in an inclined position, wherefore the ball under the influence of gravity will normally lie in the lower end, partly projecting therefrom and projecting far enough to insure its striking the doorjamb as the door closes. The cylinder may be secured to a 'plate D, having holes for the passage of screws, whereby it may be secured to the door. That edge of said plate which is to be nearest the edge lof the door may serve as the guide by which to determine in what position exactly the device is to be attached. The upper half of said edge lies at a slight inclination from a plane at right angles to the axis of the cylinder. If, therefore, the plate be secured to the door with the upper edge of said plate parallel to and substantially in contact with the door-jamb, the device will be properly inclined and will be in the correct position relative to the door-jamb.

The device as shown is reversible and is adapted for use whether the free edge of the door is on the right or left. To change the device from the right-hand edge of one door to the left-hand edge of another door, the device is turned upside down. The outer edge of the plate D is inclined above the center in one direction, as described, and below the center in the opposite direction. Therefore whether the device is applied with one end or the other on top the upper part of the outer edge of the plate serves as the guide, as

stated, for determining the position and inthe raceway, so that it offers no obstacle to' the subsequent closing of the door.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A. spring door-check composed of a raceway adapted to be secured to a door, a ball freely movable in said raceway, and means preventing the entire withdrawal of the ball from the front end of the raeeway Without compressing the ball, but permittingit to project therefrom.

2. A springdoor-cheek composed of a cylinder adapted to be rigidly secured to a door, said cylinder having a contracted front end, and a soft ball which is freely movable in said raceway, and Whose diameter is smaller than that of the cylinder but greater than that of the contracted front end thereof, and means for preventing the ball escaping from the other end of the cylinder.

3. Aspring door-check, com posed of asliort cylinder having both ends contracted sligh tl y, and a rubber ball freely movable in said cylinder and adapted to project from said front end but incapable of being withdrawn from` der, a rubber ball freely movablein said race- Way and adapted to project from the front end thereof, and means preventing the withdrawal of the ball (without compressing it) from said front end.

5. A spring door-check, composed of a short cylinder having contracted ends, and a plate liXed to the side oi' said cylinder, the outer edge of said plate being at its upper end inclined in one direction from a line at right angles to the axis of the cylinder, and being at its lower end, similarly inclined in the reverse direction, a rubber ball freely movable in said raceway and adapted to project lroni the front end thereof, and means preventing the withdrawal ol the ball (without compressing it) from said front end.

In testimony whereof l hereunto aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CHAS. MAR'llN.

Titnessesz E. L. THURsToN, B. W. iiooiin'rr. 

